Marketing Tactics

New York -- Uniqlo is remodeling the second floor of its Manhattan flagship on Fifth Avenue, and will reopen it on March 28 as the “SPRZ (Surprise) NY Store.” The renovated space will include the introduction of the “Starbucks Experience,” a full-service coffeehouse.

Ascena Retail Group, the operator Lane Bryant, Justice and Dress Barn stores, cited increased spending on growth initiatives and a challenging sales climate for a second quarter profit decline and its second full year earnings guidance reduction in two months.

Prairie Farms Dairy has rolled out a line of Old Recipe Seasonal Favorites Milk in three flavors: Jelly Bean, Chocolate Marshmallow and Easter Egg Nog.

According to the dairy, the milk is ultra-pasteurized and has an extended shelf life of 75 days, and all flavors are produced using milk from cows not treated with artificial growth hormones.

Charlotte, N.C. — Belk has announced a $12.6 million expansion and renovation of its store in Cool Springs Galleria, a 1.1 million-sq.-ft. mall in Franklin, Tenn., a suburb of Nashville. CBL & Associates Properties and TIAA-CREF own the center jointly.

Belk plans to create a new fashion flagship store for the greater Nashville region.

Canton, Mass. – Dunkin’ Donuts is recruiting franchisees in Dothan, Ala. Currently, there are 18 Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants located throughout Alabama. To help fuel growth in Dothan, special development incentives are available, which include reduced royalty fees for three years and up to $10,000 in local store marketing.  

Oral-B has launched of an oral care app for children called the Disney Magic Timer App by Oral-B.

Created in collaboration with Disney and powered by DreamPlay, the oral care app is designed to helps kids increase brushing time, which, according to the company, is identified by dentists as an area of concern and improvement for children.

As I have previously expressed in this column, I am a Bitcoin skeptic. The recent news that major global Bitcoin exchange Mt. Gox suddenly disappeared, possibly due to losing as much as $350 million to fraud allowed by a computer glitch, reinforced my reservations about Bitcoin and similar electronic currencies. In theory, independent electronic currencies are promising, but in practice, relying on third-party payment methods which are not backed by the full faith and credit of a stable government is a risky proposition.

San Francisco – Gap Inc. reportedly plans a substantial increase in its Gap and Old Navy store count in China during the next several years. Reuters reports that Gap plans to add 30 stores to its existing 81 Chinese locations.